Ladies&#39; sheer silk and nylon stockings



Nov. 3, w. GARROU ETAL 3,537,280 Y LADIES SHEER SILK AND NYLON STOCKINGS j Filed April 4, 1968 v I v INV ENTORs'. LOUI W. GAREOU and VICTOR H. GARE-0U ATTORNEYS A;

United States Patent Oflice 3,537,280 Patented Nov. 3, 1970 3,537,280 LADIES SHEER SILK AND NYLON STOCKINGS Louis W. Garrou and Victor H. Garrou, Valdese, N.C.,

assignors to Redeco S.A., Fribourg, Switzerland, a company of Switzerland Filed Apr. 4, 1968, Ser. No. 718,825 Int. Cl. D04b N26 US. Cl. 66-178 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The advantages of both silk and nylon yarns are obtained by knitting a sheer garment, such as a ladies stocking, of a yarn including a nylon core with silk yarn wrapped about and covering the core yarn. The desirable characteristics of each yarn are utilized in the garment while the undesirable characteristics of the individual yarns are overcome by the presence of the other yarn.

This invention relates generally to fine gauge sheer garments which have the appearance, feel and moistureabsorbing characteristics of silk garments and the strength and heat-setting characteristics of nylon garments, and more particularly to ladies sheer undergarments, stockings, panty hose, and the like, which are knit of a composite yarn formed of a thermoplastic synthetic core yarn, such as nylon, with silk yarn wrapped about and completely covering the core yarn.

Prior to the commercial introduction of nylon, practically all ladies stockings were knit of silk yarn and had a silky hand or feel, a desirable silky sheen, and good moisture-absorbing characteristics. However, these silk stockings were weaker than the present day nylon stockings and they contained noticeable coursewise rings caused by the natural variations in denier or size of the silk yarn. Also, these silk stockings included seams extending up the back of the leg because they had to be knit as fiat blanks which were fashioned to the desired shape during the knitting process, since the silk stocking could not be shaped during the boarding process.

At the present time, practically all ladies sheer stockings are knit of nylon yarn and on circular knitting machines which produce seamless blanks in the form of substantially straight tubes. The desired shape is imparted to the greige stocking during the boarding process where the nylon yarn shrinks so that the stocking conforms to and is heat-set in the shape of the boarding form. While nylon stockings have greater strength, they do not have the desirable feel and appearance of silk stockings, and nylon stockings have practically no moisture-absorbing characteristics.

Attempts have been made to produce sheer garments having the desirable characteristics of silk and nylon by utilizing both yarns in the same garment. For example, the James I. Purcell Pat. No. 2,990,704 discloses a ladies stocking which is knit of silk yarn and nylon yarn. In the Purcell stocking, the silk and nylon yarns are alternately knitted in separate courses with the denier of the silk yarn being substantially twice the denier of the nylon yarn so that the silk yarn dominates the appearance of both sides of the fabric. However, this construction does not fully utilize the desirable characteristics of each yarn and does not overcome the undesirable characteristics of each yarn. For example, this alternate course construction does not provide the strength of nylon throughout the stocking, since the strength of alternate courses depends upon the strength of the weaker silk yarn; the natural variations in denier of the silk yarn can be detected, and the stocking still does not have the same appearance as a stocking knit completely of silk.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide sheer fine gauge knit garments, such as stockings and the like, which have the appearance, feel and moisture-absorbing characteristics of silk garments and the strength and heat-setting characteristics of nylon, these characteristics being obtained by knitting the garment of a composite yarn including a core of inelastic nylon yarn and silk yarn wrapped about and substantially covering the core yarn. A garment knit of this composite yarn has the strength nad heat-shrinkable and heat-settable characteristics of a nylon garment as well as the appearance, feel and moisture-absorbing characteristics of a silk garment.

To retain the desirable characteristics of each type of yarn, the silk yarn is wrapped about the nylon core yarn with a suflicient number of turns per inch to substantially cover and completely hide the nylon core yarn. In order to maintain the fine gauge sheer appearance of garments, such as stockings, the total denier or size of the composite yarn must not substantially exceed the denier of yarns normally used in knitting stockings. The denier or sizes of the nylon core and the silk covering yarn are therefore selected to maintain the total denier of the composite yarn reasonably close to the denier of conventional hosiery yarns, in the range of about 15 to 30 denier.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. .1 is a side elevation of a ladies finished stocking embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged view of the small area of the knit fabric in the area indicated at 2 in FIG. 1 and illustrating the plain stitch loops in successive coures knit of the composite yarn; and L FIG. 3 is a greatly enlarged elevation of a short length of the composite yarn, illustrating the manner in which the silk yarn is Wrapped about the nylon core.

While the present invention is described in connection with the knitting and formation of a ladies sheer seamless stocking, the present invention is also applicable to the formation of other types of sheer garments, such as undergarments, panty hose and the like. As best shown in FIG. 3, the composite yarn Y includes a thermoplastic, heat-shrinkable, heat-settable synthetic core yarn 10, such as nylon, and a covering yarn 11 of moisture-absorbing silk. The silk yarn 11 preferably includes a plurality of continuous filaments which are wrapped about the core yarn in a substantially side-by-side manner. In order to maintain the total denier or size of the composite yarn Y close to the standard hosiery yarn sizes, the core yarn 10 should be within the range of from about 5 to 15 denier and the silk yarn should be Within the range of from about 7 to 30 denier, and should include from about 2 to 10 filaments of about 3 denier each. To insure that the silk yarn 11 substantially covers the nylon core yarn 10, the silk yarn should be wound about the core yarn with about to wraps per inch.

As a specific but non-limiting example, a particular type of composite yarn will be described which has been found to be particularly suited for knitting ladies sheer seamless stockings. A degummed silk yarn of about 13 to 15 denier and containing five filaments of about 3 denier each, is twisted in on direction with about six turns per inch to facilitate handling and to reduce breakage. This twisted silk yarn is wrapped about a denier monofilament nylon core yarn and in a direction opposite the direction of twist in the silk yarn, with about 100 wraps per inch.

The silk covering yarn 11 is preferably wrapped about the nlyon core yarn 10 on a covering machine which includes a hollow spindle with a yarn supply bobbin supported thereon. The nylon core yarn 10 is fed through the hollow spindle and the silk yarn 11 is withdrawn from the rotating supply bobbin and wrapped about the nylon yarn 10 as it emerges from the hollow spindle. The silk yarn 11 is wrapped about the nylon core 10 in a direction opposite the initial twist in the silk yarn 11 so that part of the initial twist in the silk yarn 11 is removed as it 'wraps about the nylon yarn 10 so that the individual filaments may flatten out in a substantially side-by-side manner and form a ribbon-like configuration, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Thus, the filament of the silk yarn 11 form a close spiral around the nylon core yarn 10 and the total denier of the composite yarn Y is maintained at a minimum.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the total denier of the composite yarn Y may be theoretically calculated by adding the denier of the core yarn 10 and twice the denier of the individual filaments of the silk yarn 11; i.e., 10 plus 2X3 to obtain a theoretical total denier of 16.

This total denier figure is not constant because the individual silk filaments do not remain in tight surface contact with the core yarn 11 throughout their length, but randomly balloon and separate as they spiral around the core yarn 10.

The wrapped composite yarn Y is preferably subjected to a light steaming operation in an autoclave. For example, the composite yarn is treated with steam at approximately 160 degrees forthirty minutes to reduce any torque characteristics applied to the yarn during the twisting and/or Wrapping operations.

A completely satisfactory composite yarn Y may also be formed by wrapping the nylon core yarn 10 with a gummed silk yarn 11 which is not twisted prior to the wrapping operation. In this instance, the gum on the silk yarn 11 serves the same purpose as the twist imparted to the degummed silk; that is, it holds the individual filaments together to facilitate handling and reduces breackage. The natural gum on the silk yarn is removed during the conventional dyeing and boarding steps in the finishing of the stockings.

The stocking S (FIG. 1) is illustrated as being of the seamless, tube type and includes an upper turned welt 14, a shadow or after-welt 15, a leg portion 16, and a foot including heat-set heel and toe pockets 17, 18 which may include reinforcing yarns. In forming the usual tube type stocking, the toe is normally closed by a curved line of stitching indicated at 19 and which extends longitudinally beneath the front portion of the foot.

As is well known, the greige stocking, as it comes from the knitting machine, is in the form of a substantially straight tube and the lower end is then closed by a curved seam. At least the major portion of the leg of the stock ing is knit of the composite yarn Y, as illustrated in FIG. 2, to form interconnected stitch loops in each Wale of successive courses. During the boarding operation, the tubular blank is positioned on a shaped boarding form and subjected to steam under pressure so that the nylon core yarn shrinks to draw the stocking in against the boarding form and the. stocking is heat-set inthis shrunken condition so that the boarded stocking has the configuration of the boarding form, as shown in FIG. 1. During the boarding operation, the yarn and the stitch loops are heatset to maintain the clear, sharp stitch loop appearance and to enhance the sheer appearance of the stocking.

As shown in FIG. 2, the silk yarn 11 substantially covers and hides the nylon core 10 and the natural variations in denier of the silk yarn are not noticeable, since a length of two or three inches of the silk yarn now extends only about one-half inch or less in the knit fabric. Also. the wrapped silk yarn 11 forms a slightly irregular surface on the composite yarn Y which provides resistance of the stocking. The nylon core 10 is present in every course of the body of the stocking and thereby enhances the strength of the stocking, and the covering of silk yarn 11 dominates the appearance of the stocking to give it the appearance, feel and moisture-absorbing characteristics of a stocking knit completely of silk.

While the leg portion of the stocking is illustrated as being weft knit of plain stitches throughout, it is to be understood that other types of knitting may be employed and other types of stitches may be used, such as a pattern of tuck and/or float stitches or a suitable non-run stitch construction. The stocking may alsobe knit with a reciprocatory heel and/or toe pocket, if desired. If desired, a double cover of silk yarns may be wrapped about the core yarn in opposite directions.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

We claim:

1. A sheer garment having the general appearance of a silk garment, at least the major portion of said garment consisting of courses of stitch loops knit of a composite yarn comprising an inelastic core of thermoplastic heatshrinkable synthetic yarn within the range of about 5 to 15 denler, and plural filaments of silk yarn within the range of about 7 to 30 denier, said silk yarn being closely wound about said core within the range of about to wraps per inch, said silk filaments being wound about said core in a substantially side-by-side manner and in a ribbon-like configuration to substantially cover said core, the natural variation in denier along the length of the silk yarn being obscured by the wrapping of the silk yarn about said core yarn, said thermoplastic core yarn enhancing the strength of said garment, and the silk yarn wrapped around the core yarn providing increased resistance to yarn slippage at the stitch cross-overs to thereby increase the pick-resistance of said garment.

2. A sheer garment according to claim 1 wherein each filament of said silk yarn is about 3 denier, and said silk yarn contains from 2 to 10 filaments.

3. A ladies shear seamless stocking having the general appearance of a silk stocking and including a leg portion and a foot portion, at least the maor portion of said leg and foot portions consisting of courses of stitch loops knit of a composite yarn comprising an inelastic core of thermoplastic heat-shrinkable synthetic yarn within the range of about 5 to 15 denier, and plural filaments of silk yarn within the range of about 7 to 30 denier, said silk yarn being closely wound about said core Within the range of about 80 to 120 wraps per inch, said silk filaments being wound about said core in a substantially sideby-side manner and in a ribbon-like configuration to substantially cover said core, the stitch loop configuration being heat-set in said knitted stocking and the stocking being heat-set to the desired shape, the natural variation in denier along the length of the silk yarn being obscured by the wrapping of the slik yarn about said core yarn, said thermoplastic core yarn enhancing the strength of said stocking, and the silk yarn wrapped around the core yarn providing increased resistance to yarn slippage at the stitch cross-overs to thereby in= crease the pick-resistance of said stocking.

4. A ladies sheer stocking according to claim 3 wherein each filament of said silk yarn is about 3 denier, and said silk yarn contains from 2 to 10 filaments.

5. A ladies sheer stocking according to claim 3 Wherein said core yarn is 10 denier, said silk yarn includes 5 filaments and is 15 denier, and said silk yarn is wrapped about said core yarn with 100 wraps per inch.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,115,745 12/1963 Lathem et a1. 57152 XR 3,301,017 1/1967 Bird et a1.

FOREIGN PATENTS 9/1962 France. 5/ 1950 Great Britain.

ROBERT R. MACKEY, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 537, 280 Dated November 3, 1970 Inventor(s) Louis W. Garrou and Victor H. Garrou It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 16, "nad" should read 'and";

Column 3, line 4, 'on" should read "one";

Column 3, line 23, "filament" should read "filaments";

Column 3, line 50, "breackage" should read "breakage";

Column 4, following line 9, insert -,-:t0 slippage of the yarn across itself; particularly at the cross-overs of the stitch loops from one course to the next, to thereby increase the pick resistance-;

Column 4, line 52, "shear" should read "sheer";

Column 4, line 54, "maor" should read "major";

Column 4, line 68, "slik" should read "silk".

SIGNED AND SEALED JANE; I971 emu. 9?

H mm 2. sammm, .15. Mustang Officer Gomisaiom of Patents FORM PC3-1 USCOMM-DC man-Poo 

